Roll out-roll in dock



G2088 REFERENCE SEARCH ROUM Aug. 2.0, 1968 n.. H. EISER-r ET AL ROLL OUT-ROLL IN DOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 25, 1966 INVENY oRs r1.2 M 15527 /f/Af. 75k C- Afa-'k7' 7//////V f ww.

ug. 20, 1968 L H, ElSERT ET AL ROLL OUT-ROLL IN DOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Maron 25, 1966 iol INVENTOPS V4.6 M '/SERY Wurf/w c. ms-27 United States 3,397,5llt`.i

Patented Aug. 20, 1968 3,397,546 ROLL OUT-ROLL IN DOCK Lyle H. Eisert and Walter C. Eisert, both of Crookston, Minn. 56716 Filed Mar. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 537,558 Claims. (Cl. 6148) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dock or walkway for use adjacent the shoreline of a body of water and which is supported above the body of water comprising a plurality of hinged sections made so that they will not move past a substantially common plane in one direction and which are made so they will hinge in the opposite direction for storage onto a reel. A walkway is initially supported on a float that is pushed out into the water and which supports the walkway above the surface of the water. The inner end of the walkway is then supported adjacent the shoreline, and individual support posts are then placed into the body of water and used t-o support the walkway sections independently of said float. For storage, the oat is installed, the individual support posts are then removed so that the walkway is supported on the float and adjacent the shoreline, and the inner end of the walkway is attac-hed onto a reel, the reel is rotated, and the walkway is wound onto the reel for storage.

The present invention has relation to roll out-roll in walkways used for boat docks and similar structures which can be stored on a portable reel, and easily erected in the water without getting wet.

The device of the present invention is primarily used as a boat dock which `permits a boat owner to erect the dock in the spring of the year without getting .into the water and also remove the dock in the fall without getting into the water. The unit utilizes a portable storage reel which is designed so that the dock, which is made in hinged sections, can be rolled onto the reel for storage and unrolled when it is to be erected.

During erection the outer end of the dock is temporarily supported on a float so that the permanent support posts can be positioned without getting off the dock, and during disassembly the posts can be removed without getting oi the dock. The structure is simple to make and easy to use. The device can also be used for temporary crossing of rivers and streams by the military. In both instances the unit can be easily rolled out in erected form and rolled in for storage or transport without entering the water.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to present a portable walkway which rolls up onto a stor age reel, and then can be unrolled for use.

It is a further object of the present invention to present a portable walkway that can be erected and disassembled without entering the water.

It is another object of the present invention to present: a portable walkway which is rolled onto a reel that can be quickly transported `from place to place.

It is another object of the present invention to present a portable dock wherein the support posts can be installed from above the dock.

Other objects are inherent in the specification and 4will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View showing a roll out roll in dock or walkway made according to the present invention .and shown during installation of the dock in a lake;

FIG. 2 is a. side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, after the dock has been installed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a storage cart with. the entire dock rolled up onto a cart for storage;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as on line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view showing a device for raising the dock into position on support posts therefor;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational View of a detail of the supporting mechanism for the posts used with the dock, with parts in section and parts borken away;

FIG- 7 is a sectional View taken as on line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a `fragmentary side View showing the iustallation of a float at the leading section of the dock appearn ing at a time when lthe dock .is being rolled out or rolled 1n;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken as on line 9-9 in FIG. l; and

FIG'. 10 is a sectional view taken as on line 10-10 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, a dock or walkway assembly illustrated generally at 10 is comprised as a plurality of walkway or dock sections 11 through 21 as shown. Each of the adjacent sections are hingedly attached together as at 25. The hinge axes 25 between the adjacent Sections are below the dock sections so 'that the dock sections will pivot downwardly with respect to their adjacent section, but will not pivot upwardly. In other words the upper surfaces of adjacent sections will not pivot toward each other substantially beyond a common plane. The end edge surfaces of the adjacent dock sections abut against each other and the sections are stopped from pivoting in this direction.

Each of the dock sections is made up of a pair of spaced apart channel members 26 and 27, respectively, which are joined together with transverse planking or boards 28. The boards can be fastened to their channels 26 and 2'/ in any desired manner.

As can be seen, the channels 26 and 27 are facing each other, in. other Words, the legs of the channels extend inwardly from the outer edges of the dock sections. The pivots 25 are formed by a pair of spaced ears 30, 30 fixed on one of the sections and a tongue 31 on the next adjacent section which tits between the ears. A pin 32 is then passed through provided openings in both the tongue and the ears to form the pivot.

As shown, the dock is supported on a plurality of support posts 35 when it is installed. The posts are mounted at spaced intervals along the sides of the dock.. The mount-- ing structure for the posts is shown typically in FIG. 5. A sleeve 36 is positioned at each end of a cross tube 37. A separate short tubular section 38, coaxial with tube 37, is fixed on the outsides of each of the sleeves and they ex= tend toward the main webs of the channels 26 and 27, reg spectively. A -separate small stub shaft 39 is welded to the webs of each of the channels 26 and 27, respectively, and these stub shafts 39 slip inside the tubular sections 38. Thus the sleeve and cross tube assembly is free to pivot about a transverse axis in a limited manner. The sleeves, as shown, pass through provided openings in the boards or planks 28 and the posts then pass through the sleeves, and can be supported on cross pins 40 which are positioned below the sleeves. The posts 35 are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced adjustment holes to permit these posts to be placed as desired.

The openings in the planks 28 for the posts and the sleeves are slightly slotted so that the posts can pivot a limited amount in fore and aft direction about the axis of 4the tube 37. This compensates for differences in angles between the adjacent sections of the dock during instal1ation. This is necessary when the posts are being installed. and the flock 'is being raised up to its proper height on the 3 posts. At that time, the part of the dock section -which has been raised (one end of the dock section is raised at a time) will be considerably higher than the part which has not been raised and there will be a substantial angle between the posts and the dock section.

The dock sections are stored on a portable cart assembly 42. The cart assembly includes a frame 43 which is mounted on wheels 44, which have axles mounted in a conventional manner so that the cart can be pulled with a handle 45. The frame 43 extends upwardly from the wheels. The handle member 45 can be lifted so that the frame clears the ground. When the handle is released an intermediate section 46 of the frame will contact the ground and support the cart as shown. At the upper porv tion of the frame 43, a reel 47 is rotatably mounted about an axis illustrated at 48. The reel is comprised as an open centered square frame having a pair of spaced apart side frames 50, 50 held onto an axle 51 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bushings 52 that in turn are attached to the frame. The side frames 50, 50 can be held together in any desired way. As shown, the frames are square and form four peripheral support planes for the dock section. The frames have relieved or recessed corners. A drive gear 53 is drivably mounted onto an outer end of the axle or shaft 51 and this gear in turn is driven through a crank 54 which is rotatably mounted onto a bracket 55 and which has a small pinion gear 56. The pinion gear drives the large drive gear 53 to rotate the reel.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the first section or inner section 11 of the dock is attached to one corner of the reel as at 57. This can be done with a cable or hooks in any conventional manner. The reel is then rotated in di1 rection as indicated by arrow 6 0 and the dock will be rolled up onto the reel. The first section is one length to start the dock on the roll; sections 12 and 13 are longer and lit against the outer edges of frame 50, or on the peripheral support surfaces of the reel. The hinge mem.l bers between the sections fit into the recessed corners of the frames as shown in FIG. 3.. When the hinge members open to permit the dock sections to be mounted onto the reel, it can be seen that the dock sections themselves leave open corners. The fourth section 14 is slightly longer than the first three sections and extends past the outer edge of the first section 11 so that the fifth section 15 will lie on the outer surface of the first. or inner section 11. The sections 15, 16 and 17 are of proper length to lie on the outside of the tirst three sections 11, 12 and 13.

The section 18 is of size to lie on the outside of the section 14 and extend far enough so the pivot point between sections 18 and 19 permits the section 19 to lie t against the outside of the section 15. Sections and 21 then merely fold on the outside again of sections 16 and 17.

As can be seen, there are four guide straps 61 .mounted onto the reel assembly and these extend substantially parallel and radially outwardly so that they will provide guide means for holding the dock sections in place when they are on 1the reel.

A plurality of holes 62 are provided in each of the guide members `61 and small pins can then be inserted through the guide member 61 into provided aligning holes in the channels 26 and 27 for the dock sections. This will lock the sections in place in the reel. Once the dock is rolled up as shown, then the entire cart can be stored for the winter or moved to another location.

During the unrolling operation, a oat member 63 is mounted adjacent the outer end of the outer section 21 of; the dock. This oat is comprised as a hollow cylinder or drum as shown which has a pair of stub axles 65 at the opposite ends thereof. A pair of side frame members 66 are rotatably mounted in the axle 65 and the side frame members have suitable slip-on brackets 67 and 68 which are able to slide upwardly underneath the channels 26 and 27. The bracket 67 is merely an upwardly open U form that tits over the sides of the channels, while thel bracket `68 is also U shaped but the U shape extends in the same direction as the channel. In other words, the legs of the U tit over the legs of the channels 26 and 27. The bracket 67 has a plurality of adjustment holes 70. These adjustment holes are used for mating with provided openings in the side frame member 66 ot' the float assembl-y, and suitable bolts are fastened to adjust the relative position of the drum 64 with respect to the outer end of the dock. This means that the dock can be supported higher or lower in relation to the water when the float is engaging the water.,

When the dock is to be used, the cart is rolled adjacent to the shore as shown and is positioned with the handle part of the frame lying flat on the ground. The wheels of the cart as thus positioned in the air and the cart does not tend to roll or be unstable.

The front section 21 of the dock is then pulled olf the .reel and the float assembly is installed -on this outer or front section 21. A pair of support poles 35, 35 are inserted through the sleeves 36, 36 and held with only a short amount of the pole extending below the dock, as shown in FIG. l. The pins 40 are used for holding the poles up out of the water in this initial installation procedure. Then the dock is cranked out by turning the crank 54 and operating the reel to push off additional dock sections. The drum itself will act as a wheel or Iroller on the shore so the outer section of the dock can merely be dropped on the ground and then the crank can be used for forcing the dock out toward the water. With the first pole installed, a couple of sections of the dock are unrolled. When the next support assembly comprising the sleeve 36, cross tubes 37 and stub tubes 38 is positioned adjacent the reel, but clearing the reel, the second pair of the poles 35 are placed into the sleeves 36 of this assembly and held with only a short length of the post pro-1 truding below the dock. Then more of the sections are rolled out and appropriate posts are put into place in the post support assemblies until all of the dock sections have been unrolled. Then the inner end of the dock will be supn ported on the shore and the outer end will be supported in the water by the oat.

Then an operator will start on the shore end of the dock and install a dock raising assembly illustrated in FIG. 5 onto the two posts 35 closest to the shore. The dock raising assembly comprises a pair of guides 73 which slip over the outer ends of the posts 35. The guides row tatably mount a crank assembly 74 which extends between the guides. At the outer ends of the crank assembly 74 a pair of winch drums 75, 75 are drivably mounted. The winch drums have small ropes or cables 76 attached thereto and a hook 77 is mounted to each of the outer ends of the ropes or cables 76. The hooks 77 will tit un derneath the channels 26 and 27 adjacent posts 35, as shown. Before the crank assembly and support members 73 are installed on the posts 35, the pins 40 are removed from above the sleeve 36 so that the posts can drop downwardly into the lake bottom as far as they will.

Once the hooks 77 are in place, the crank 74 is rotated and the 'rope 76 will be shortened. This will cause the sleeves 36 to slide upwardly on the post 35 and the dock will be raised wtih. respect to the post. Of course, in the initial operation the post 35 will be shoved more deeply into the lake bottom illustrated generally at 80 until the posts are firmly anchored. The posts can be provided with bottom support plates or feet if desired. At that time the dock will then be raised up to its desired height above the lake level and the pins 40 will be inserted below the sleeves 36 so that the posts and pins will support the dock (the pins could pass through the sleeves if desired). The crank l74 will be released when the pins are in place so that the sleeves `slide down and contact these pins. The

-dock section is then supported.

Once this is done, the crank 74 and its support 73 are taken. oli the outer posts 35 and moved to the next pair of posts farther from shore. These posts 35 will then be dropped down into the lake bottom, the support 73 installed on the upper ends of lthe posts and the dock raised to the desired level. This is done sequentially until all of the posts are firmly anchored in the lake bottom and the dock is supported on the posts, as shown in FIG. 2. The iloat assembly can be easily removed,

The entire dock could be reeled out before the posts were inserted in the sleeves too. When the dock is re moved from the Water, the procedure is reversed. In other words, the float is installed at the outer end of the dock, and then crank 74 and support 73 are placed on the posts farthest from the shore. The dock is raised to take the load off pins 40. The, pins are removed and the dock is lowered with the crank 74 until it is `independently supported onthe shore. This is done sequentially until the posts no longer support the dock. The dock is supported only by the float and by its support on the shore. The posts can be pulled out of the ground before the dock is reeled onto lthe storage cart.

The inner section 11 of the dock is attached to the reel as shown at 57 (with a hook or cable), the crank 54 is turned so that the reel will rotate in direction as indicated by arrow 60 and `the dock will be wound onto the cartu The posts can be stored separately and the float also can be stored separately.

As shown, to make the sections rest correctly, section 11 is shortest (as shown 21"), sections 12 and 13 are the same length but longer to make the corners open correctly (24), sections 14 and 15 are longer than sec-tions 12 and 13 (261s), sections 16 and 17 are the same length (28%) but longer than the first five sections, sections 18 and 19 are the 4same length, but longer still (30%), and sections 20 and 21 are the same length and longest of all (32%). The lengths are selected to make the pivot axes i'it properly at the corners.

The device and coricept of using a iloat at an outer end of a folding dock. to support it can also be used for making temporary or' emergency bridges across small streams or swamps. The folding sections would comprise the walkway and would be mounted onto the reel just as illustrated. Instead of placing posts onto the dock sections as they were rolled off the reel of the cart, additional floats would be clipped underneath the dock sections at periodic intervals in order to provide adequate flotation to support the loads that would be carried by the temporary support. Once the temporary bridge had been used, it could be wound'back up onto the cart and hauled with a jeep or truck to another location where it was needed. This would give a very fast sure way of getting troops across swamps and rivers, and to reach victims of floods.

The use of the pins which pass through holes 62 in.

, bracket 61 and into aligning holes on the channels hold the dock sections during the unreeling operation as well. They permit the dock to be pushed by the reel without buckling the sections still on the reel. The pins are re moved to permit the sections to come off the reel.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable walkway supported above the surface of water comprising a plurality of rigid sections hingedly attached together about transverse axes, means to prevent the upper surfaces of said sections from hinging toward each other substantially past a common plane but permitting hinging in opposite direction, a removable float member adjacent an outer end of said sections, said float member being of size to support said walkway when only the inner end thereof is supported independently, and a plurality of removable support means positioned at spaced intervals along said walkway, to support the walkway with respect to the bottom of the body of water independently of the oat.

2. The walkway of claim 1 further characterized in that hinge means are provided adjacent the sections of said walkway, the axis of said hinge means being posi-1 tioned below the side members of the walkway.

3. The walkway of claim 1 wherein said iioat member is comprised as a cylinder, a pair of arms rotatably mounted on said cylinder, and means to attach said arms to the outer section of said walkway.

4. The walkway of claim 3 wherein said means to attach said arms to the walkway comprises a, rst pair of struts having upwardly open supports to receive a bottom edge of said walkway, and a second pair of struts spaced from said iirst pair of struts, said second pair of struts being spaced farther away from said lioat than the lirst struts and having means to slip over and iit against the top surface of the said walkway on opposite sides thereof.

5. The walkway of claim 1 further characterized in that the support means are a plurality of posts arranged in transversely aligned pairs and which engage the bottom of the body of Water over which the walkway is supported.

6. The walkway of claim '5 wherein said posts are slidably mounted in sleeves, said sleeves being mounted to the sections for limited pivotal movement in fore and aft direction with respect to said Walkway, and releasable means to secure said posts with respect to said sleeves.

7. A portable walkway supported above the surface of a body of water comprising a plurality of rigid sections hingedly attached together about transverse axes, means to prevent the upper surfaces of said sections from hinging toward each other substantially past a common plane but permitting hinging in opposite direction, a removable float member adjacent an outer end of said walkway, said oat member being of size to support said walkway when only the inner end thereof is supported independently, a plurality of support means positioned at spaced intervals along said walkway, a portable reel of size to receive the sections of said walkway, means to detachably connect one end of said walkway to said reel, said reel being rotatable in direction to permit hinging of said sections in a manner so that said sections are wrapped sequentially around the periphery of the reel, said sections being of preselected lengths to wrap around the reel as the reel is rotated.

8. The walkway of claim 7 further characterized in that said reel comprises four sides, the lengths of said sides being selected so that the rSt four sections will be supported on the periphery of the reel, and the rest of the sections will sequentially rest against the sections previously mounted on the reel.

9. The walkway of claim 7 wherein said reel is mounted onto a cart, and wheel means on said cart to permit transporting said reel from location to location.

10. The walkway of claim 7 further characterized in that said reel has -a rotatable frame forming a plurality of peripheral sides forming intersecting planes, the frame at the intersection between adjacent side planes being relieved to receive the hinge between adjacent sections of said walkway when the walkway is mounted on the reel.

11. The walkw-ay of claim 10 further characterized in that the sections comprise a pair of spaced apart channels having inwardly facing legs, and plank members joining said channels, said channels being positioned to lie parallel to the sides of said reel.

12. The method of installing a portable `walkway capable of supporting load when supported only at its opposite ends, comprising the steps of: supporting the outer end of said walkway on a float, forcing said walkway into the water so that said float supports the walk way above the surface of the water, extending the walkway the desired amount, supporting the inner end of said walkway adjacent the shore line, installing support posts into the bottom of the body of water from the walkway while the walkway is supported by said float, and securing said support posts with respect to said Walkway to support the walkway independently of said float.

13. The method of Claim 12 including the further step of removing said oat after the walkway has been secured to said posts.

14. The method of claim 12 whereinsaid walkway sections are mounted onto a rotatable reel, and including the step of rotating the reel to force the oat and walkway sections into the water.

15. A portable walkway supported above the surface of water comprising a plurality of rigid sections hingedly attached together about transverse axes, means to prevent the upper surfaces of said sections from hinging toward each other substantially past a common plane but permitting hinging in opposite direction, a removable float member adjacent an outer end of said sections, said float member being of size to support said walkway when only the inner end thereof is supported independently, a plurality of support posts arranged in transversely aligned pairs at spaced intervals along the Walkway and which engage the bottom of the body of water over which the walkway is supported, means between the posts and the walkway for supporting said walkway independently of said float, and lift means for raising the walkway sections with respect to the support posts, said lift means comprising a pair of sleeves supported on one pair of the transversely aligned pairs of posts, respectively, a separate winch drum rotatably mounted with respect to each of the sleeves, crank means to drivably engage the winch drums so that upon rotation of said crankv means said winch drums will be rotated, a separate cable wound on each of said winch drums, means on the cables to fasten the cables to the walkway adjacent opposite side edges of said walkway, respectively, whereby upon rotation of said crank means said winch drums are rotated to cause the cables t0 lift the section of the walkway engaged by the cables with respect to the posts on which the sleeves are attached.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 585,064 6/1897 Uren 182-41 951,379 3/1910 Norman 14-27 l,358,95l ll/1920 Helmich 61--48 1,975,049 9/1934 Middlebrook 61-48 X 2,961,838 1l/l960 Vander Wilt 61--48 3,283,517 ll/1966 Phillips 61-48 3,229,833 1/1966 Heck et al. 61-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,528 5/1960 Canadae JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner. 

